The facial recognition market size is estimated to grow from $3.35 billion in 2016 to $6.84 billion by 2021, according to MarketandMarkets. In the facial recognition field, the eyes are often the mirror to the soul, reflecting intents and behavior patterns. However, high-resolution video streams or images of passengers or customers are not always available

Conduent has been awarded a U.S. patent for technology that automatically recognizes facial expressions using images from low-resolution cameras. The new technology locates faces within a video stream and automatically identifies a person’s eyes to better understand facial expressions. Applying machine learning and pattern recognition techniques to that region of the image allows the facial expression to be classified from ubiquitous low-resolution surveillance grade video, according to the company’s website.

The technology delivers a range of benefits from helping retailers track customer shopping preferences while browsing merchandise, gauging commuter satisfaction on public transit, and improving the accuracy of screenings in border crossing control.

In Retail: Knowing shopper satisfaction at a more granular level allows the retailer to optimize the physical shopping experience including layout, merchandise and the checkout process. This technology can also read customer satisfaction during customer-employee interactions.

In Transportation: Facial recognition can be similarly used to gauge rider satisfaction on public transit or customer satisfaction in customer-agent interactions. Through this technology, public transit agencies gain better insights to provide safer, cleaner and more courteous public transportation, further motivating commuters to use these services, including end-to-end multi-modal travel.

In Border Crossing Control: The technology can cross-reference expressions of any persons identified by law enforcement with FBI and Homeland Security databases that scan across millions of photos in state and federal databases, as well as facial images collected from noncitizens as they enter the United States. This advancement could result in more screening for high-risk individuals and potentially less for lower risk individuals, making border security more accurate, effective and efficient.

Conduent’s expertise in computer vision techniques has also led to the commercialization of its award-winning Vehicle Passenger Detection System (VPDS). The system uses advanced video analytics to detect the number of occupants in moving vehicles with 95% accuracy at speeds up to 100mph.